Breaking Generational Patterns of Poor Health

Breaking generational patterns of poor health extends to all areas of life. You see, monetary wealth is not the only legacy you can leave your children: you can leave them the legacy of health. This is why praying to break generational patterns of poor health in your family is so powerful. It can help you be the break in the chain of poor family health habits that lead to chronic illness. Prayer can help you replace them with new healthy habits that protect and serve your children today—and their children someday.  

“Your faithfulness endures to all generations”

Proverbs 119:90

What Really Runs in the Family?

We have all said (or heard someone say) something like “diabetes runs in my family.” There is truth in this statement, of course: families can pass on a weakness for chronic health issues like diabetes, high blood pressure, and even obesity. But it may not be for the reasons you think.

Recent advancements in the field of epigenetics have proved that we can turn on and off our negative genes, based on our lifestyle choices. While genetics play a role in passing on chronic health issues, that role is minor compared to the role of what we put on the ends of our forks. In other words, “our genes load the gun, but our lifestyle pulls the trigger.”   

Seize the Reins—with God’s Help

Despite the studies, many people cling to the all-too-convenient idea that our genes determine our destiny. But you can make the choice to empower yourself and your family, to effectively rebel against your family’s health history. Lifestyle changes can change the trajectory of our health starting today and for generations to come.

It’d be crazy to pray for God to change our genes, but we can pray for God to change us. God wants us to break generational patterns of poor health and pass on a new legacy of health to our children and their children. This can start with a personal decision to chart a new course with your health journey.

Prayer can be an integral part of that journey to health. It can open us up to being intentional and accepting the responsibility of being the point of change in your family.

Breaking Generational Patterns of Poor Health: My Personal Story

High blood pressure is prevalent in my family, and once upon a time I thought this was my destiny. It wasn’t until I realized how much power I had to manage my blood pressure that I began to question things and change the narrative around high blood pressure in my family.

After embarking on the Daniel Fast way of eating, I was able to reverse what I’d thought was the inevitable onset of high blood pressure. To learn precisely how the Daniel Fast changed my health, check out this interview. Bottom line? I invited God into my health journey. Inviting God into this health space empowered me to make the needed changes to my lifestyle and break a cycle.

Changing the Traditions to Change the Trajectory

While chronic disease that runs in families can seem like a genetic curse, most cases can be traced back to traditions: the type of food we eat, how we prepare our meals, the way we engage with food, and what role physical activity plays in our families. It takes prayer to embark on a new way of doing things in our families. Many family traditions are built around shared meals, and breaking these attachments is not an easy sell.

Through prayer we can reflect on our traditions and make modifications that serve us. We can then develop new traditions around healthier habits and food choices that can be passed down to the next generation. This is the currency of health.

Sharing a Legacy of Health

Placing our health journey in a generational context helps us to see how our health affects those around us rather than seeing it as just a personal endeavor. Breaking generational patterns of poor health involves prayer. It can empower you to see yourself in the process of interrupting family habits and patterns that lead to poor health. It helps us not see our chronic health issues as inevitable.  

Create a new legacy of health!

Prayer can help change the narrative around diseases that run in the family. Do you feel inspired to create a new legacy of health for your family? Join the free 4-day A Prayer for Your Health challenge or take the 4-week interactive course.